I Don’t Want to be a Villainess

“And honestly, I wish you would stop treating me like your granddaughter-in-law every time you see me.”

After the meal, as the old man was about to leave that room, I said that.

I didn’t even bother to look back at him. He was someone not worth my time.

“I don’t want to marry your grandson. The fact that my mother made me betrothed to that kid in the past has nothing to do with my will. It would be easy to sever our ties, right? There wouldn’t be any legal obstacles anyway.”

“Is it because of those kids around you?”

“No, I do like those kids, but you’ve misunderstood a bit. Regardless of who is around me, I wouldn’t have married that child.”

“Then let me ask you in return.”

I could hear his footsteps. He must be turning around toward me.

“Maybe because those kids are there, you might have to marry my grandson.”

“Are you implying that if I don’t marry, you’ll do something bad to those kids?”

That was probably what he meant. I didn’t even need to ask.

His meaning was so clear that he didn’t bother to respond to my words.

“If you think I can’t do anything to you—”

“I take it that you’re referring to what you’ll do to the kids around me. Yes, I understand.”

I quietly set down my fork and knife.

“In the end, it seems like it will turn into a clash of money against money. Are you okay with that? Honestly, no matter how much money you pour in, the stock battle is unpredictable, so I feel more comfortable facing it with money.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed.”

I turned my body to look at the old man.

Leaning one arm over the backrest, I gazed at him with a somewhat defiant posture.

There was no anger on his face. However, he looked a bit flushed. It seems my words had some impact after all.

Well, that’s just my opinion, but…

“I hope you stop taking out your frustration on your grandson because you can’t hit me. It’s not his fault I don’t like Yoon Da-ho. It’s the fault of the other person who raised him.”

Ah, only after hearing this did I see the former chairwoman’s face turn red-hot.

“Even if I’m not sitting in the chairwoman’s position anymore, it’s the same for you, former chairwoman. ‘Former’ chairwoman. Well, as time goes by, the positions will become clearer. I don’t know if you’ll be in good health until then.”

She contributed greatly to Sara’s life being messed up. I had no reason to look at her kindly. At least with Yoon Da-ho, I could somewhat excuse him since it wasn’t his will, but that person pushed her, who had nothing to do with him, into a pit of despair for their own greed.

Of course, to be fair, Choi Na-kyung was the worst of them all.

“I heard you’ve been unstable mentally; I guess that’s true.”

I didn’t bother asking from whom that came.

“Well, that’s only natural. If you’ve lived your life being abused, isn’t it abnormal if you don’t become mentally unstable? Your grandson seems to need counseling too; why don’t you hold his hand and go visit a psychiatrist?”

I shrugged my shoulders and said.

“And now that I think about it, I think even the former chairwoman needs counseling. Being in the back room and still unable to forget about power or money and continuing to be greedy is a disease. When a person is extremely unstable, that can sometimes express itself as violence, and seeing the bruises on your grandson’s arm, that possibility might be high.”

Surprisingly, the old man didn’t provide any additional information even after hearing that harsh remark. He seemed surprisingly self-disciplined. Or maybe he just had a personality that releases stress by hitting Yoon Da-ho.

Now I could understand why Yoon Da-ho developed such a prickly personality. Since the person who expressed stress in such an abnormal manner was so close, he probably learned to express it in that way too.

I wonder what his father is doing.

Well, seeing how the former chairwoman is so domineering, it might ultimately be the same situation of being a figurehead.

No, maybe a paper chairwoman.

Eventually, the old man, who had regained his composure and was quietly gazing at me, turned his back and walked away. I didn’t bother to see him off.

Isn’t that a bit too provocative?

I doubt that someone would suddenly act just because I provoked them. Just like before, they’d probably go about their own business.

If he were that type of person, his face would have turned bright red a long time ago, and he would have shouted at me. That was Yoon Da-ho’s relatively abrasive personality. Nowadays, for some reason, it seems he’s subdued.

Still, at least he showed a bit of turmoil in the midst of it. Thanks to that, I could gather a rough idea of what he and Choi Na-kyung might be plotting.

Well, it’s nothing major.

He told me I had “mental issues.”

…Is that okay?

Probably.

I realized that possibility after looking into various things.

To forcibly admit someone, you need the consent of two guardians and a recommendation for hospitalization from at least one psychiatrist.

Well, even if the guardian is some relative of Sara or her uncle, you could always try bribing them with money. But getting a recommendation from one psychiatrist or more is quite tricky.

In Korea, the scope for surrogate consultations is pretty limited. Psychiatry, especially with potentially harmful medications, is even more stringent. If someone claims to be suffering from “rare mental disorders,” it gets even tougher.

Dissociative Identity Disorder has fewer than 400 reported cases worldwide. There are even doctors who are skeptical about considering this as an illness, and many doctors have never seen such cases in clinical practice themselves.

Moreover, to diagnose it, one has to meticulously observe Sara and me for a long time while classifying our symptoms. It’s not something that could be recognized just by a few words from a doctor who’s been paid. Above all, Yujin Group wouldn’t just sit back.

But still, it’s not like there’s absolutely no possibility, right?

Right.

The possibility is not ‘0’. I don’t know exactly how to handle it, but as someone truly classified with such a case, it’s possible to get caught somehow.

Perhaps they might argue that everything before was nonsense based on that. Indeed, Choi Na-kyung’s medical methods were so abnormal that I could understand why it took a while for the purpose to dawn on me.

So, I have to prepare in advance.

How?

I have some ideas.

I spoke while comforting anxious Sara.

*

“I totally disagree.”

When I shared my opinion, Ha Neul shook her head immediately.

“Why?”

When I asked back, Ha Neul had an expression that looked a bit angry.

“Because there’s a chance, even if it’s a minuscule one, that something serious could happen to you.”

“Seriously? If it really were a mental illness, wouldn’t getting treatment be healthier?”

When I said that, Ha Neul scoffed in disbelief and glared at me.

That’s right. She didn’t just look at me disdainfully; she was genuinely glaring.

“Is that even something you can say?”

Whoa, she really seems angry.

“I like ‘you.’ No matter what others think of you, I clearly distinguish between ‘Sara’ and ‘you.’ If you say, ‘I will get treated,’ I know for sure that doesn’t mean ‘Sara.’ What is that? Are you trying to sacrifice yourself? What am I supposed to do then?”

“…….”

…Hmm, I think I might have said something wrong.

Ha Neul, saying this, sincerely looked angry, but she wasn’t particularly scary.

It was more pitiable than frightening.

She was screaming as if she were genuinely afraid of me disappearing.

“I also disagree.”

Before I could make excuses to Ha Neul, Sohee chimed in. With her arms crossed, she had been watching our conversation, and when our eyes met, she spoke seriously.

“I like both you and ‘Sara.’ I don’t want any of the people I like to disappear.”

“At least you say it so brazenly.”

This time I couldn’t help but interject. She was essentially saying she wanted both me and Sara.

In this case, I couldn’t help but listen to the last person’s opinion.

“I also disagree.”

Sua said. Unexpectedly, she spoke quite confidently, unlike her usual shy self.

“You were the first person who made memories with me. And…”

Sua let out a small sigh.

“Right now, you’re the one ‘Sara’ is relying on. You’re already a part of that kid. If you disappear now, it’ll hurt her too much.”

…….

I couldn’t find a way to refute that.

Sara, what do you think?

…

Sara hasn’t answered for a while. It’s certain that she’s there.

That plainly means she’s sulking.

I’ll have to talk with Sara again tonight.

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